Wollmeise

Thinking of wool connects intuitively with a ball of wool, ready for knitting a sweater or other warming garments. The next thought carries us to a sheep with its snug and cosy skin. All those thoughts are right of course, but wool can be much more than that.

A ball of wool is in reality yarn or twisted yarn and can consist of plant-, animal- or synthetic fibers. Most common plant fibers are cotton and linen, while animal fibers are collected from a multitude of animals: Lamas, alpacas, yaks, dogs, goats, silkworms, cats, …. sheep are of course the most popular givers of wool and today we count over 200 different sheep races contributing with the most different kind of fibers: Wavy curls or robust thick hair.